Shipping-package.



J. G REBER.

APPLIOAT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 1.

Patented A. r. 27, 1909.

l h I! ITED %TATE% PATNT OFFICE.

JOHN G. REBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. W. SEFTON MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SHIPPING-PACKAGE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. REBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shipping-Packages, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object an improved box or package, particularly adapted for shipping purposes, which shall be light and strong and cheap to manufacture, and which may be stored and shipped in quantities prior to use in compact form; and my improved box or package consists of an open-ended rectangular body-portion, Whose four sides hin 'e upon one another at the four corners so that it may be collapsed or pressed out flat for storage or shipment in compact form prior to use, and independent bottom and top portions adapted to be stored and shipped in compact form separately from the body portion, but to be readily inserted in and secured to the open ends of the latter preparatory to use; all as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my complete boxes or packages with top and bottom portions in position and secured to the rectangular body; Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the open-ended collapsible body-portion in position to receive the top and bottom portions Fig. 4 a perspective view of said bodyportion collapsed or pressed out fiat, for storage or shipment and Fig. 5 a perspective view of the attachable top or bottom portion of the box.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts in the several views.

The particular box or package illustrated in the drawings is one designed more par ticularly for use in shipping fancy poultry, and for that reason is provided with an open top composed of slats or narrow boards secured to the rectangular frame which fits within the upper end of the body-portion of the package, and is also provided with rec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 23, 1901.

Patented April 2'7, 1909.

Serial No. 44,364.

tangular openings in its opposite sides or ends near their upper edges, for the insertion of the hands in lifting the package but these are features not essential to the use of the package for many other purposes, and there fore not vital to my invention.

The rectangular body-portion A of the package is composed of heavy double faced corrugated paper. Its four sides are flexibly hinged together at the four corners, and may be composed of four separate sheets of such paper, flexibly secured together at said corners, but I prefer to form the entire body of the package from a single sheet of double faced corrugated paper, suitably scored or creased at three corners, to permit it to readily fold upon itself, and having its abutting edges suitably joined together at the fourth corner, as at a in Fig. 3, where it will be seen that the corner of the box is covered by a longitudinal strip of canvas which serves to flexibly secure the edges of the adjacent sides of the package together at said corner. The other three corners of the package may be provided with like reinforcing and strengthening strips of canvas if desired, but this is not essential. It will be readily understood that this rectangular body-portion A, of Fig. 3, may be readily collapsed or pressed out flat, as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of storing or shipping the packages in quantities prior to use.

Fig. 5 is in the present instance a perspective view of the bottom portion of the package, consisting of a rectangular wooden frame B adapted to snugly fit within the lower end of the body-portion A of Fig. 3, and having secured to its under side a thin board, or series of boards, C, which projects outward slightly beyond the frame B at all four sides of the latter, the projecting portion of such board C affording a base upon which the lower end of the body-portion A may rest when it is seated over the frame B.

The top portion D of the package may be identical in construction with the bottom portion shown in Fig. 5, and in the present instance, Fig. 1, differs from the bottom portion only in the provision of open spaces between the boards which are secured to the top of the rectangular frame which fits in the upper end of the body portion, such open spaces being left for ventilation and convenience of inspection and access where the package is to be used for the particular purpose heretofore mentioned.

In the present instance rectangular recesses are cut in the upper edges of the opposite ends of the body-portion A, at b b, to permit the insertion of the hands in lifting and handling the package. The provision for these hand holds is desirable where the package must be carefully handled, but is not otherwise essential.

As will be understood from the foregoing description, the body portions A of the packages are collapsed or pressed out flat and stored or shipped in quantities in that form, while the top and bottom portions are stored and shipped separately from the body portions and in like compact form. This enables the manufacturer and jobber and ultimate user to carry a large stock of the packages in compact form in a small storage space, and permits them to be shipped with like advantage. When it is desired to use a box it is simply necessary to take one of the collapsed body portions A and open it out into rectangular form, Fig. 3, set it down over one of the bottom portions and secure it thereto by driving tacks or small nails 0 through its lower end into the rectangular wooden frame B of such bottom portion, and then when the package has been filled place one of the top portions in the open upper end of the body portion and secure it thereto by tacks driven through the latter into the wooden frame of the top portion.

The formation of the body portion of the box of the corrugated paper described lessens the cost of the box as compared with a wooden body, as well as produces a much lighter package; while the top and bottom portions, having the rectangular wooden frames inserted in the upper and lower ends of the body portion, serve to brace and strengthen the latter and firmly support it in box form, so that a strong and rigid, although very light, package is produced, which satisfactorily answers the purpose of much heavier wooden boxes, while embodying the advantages of storage and shipment in compact form and ready assemblage for use which have been described.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim,

1. The herein described collapsible box or package, composed of the rectangular body portion A formed of double faced corrugated paper and having its four sides flexibly hinged together at the four corners to permit said body to be readily collapsed into flat form, and the separate attachable top and bottom portions, each composed of a rectangular the open end of the body portion A and secured thereto by tacks or nails driven through the sides of such body portion into said frame, and thin boards (1 secured to the other faces of said frames B and projecting outward be yond and around the same over the ends of the body portion A, substantially as described.

2. The herein described collapsible box or package, composed of the rectangular body portion A having recesses I) cut in its opposite sides at its upper end, for the purpose described, and formed of double faced corrugated paper and having its four sides flexibly hinged together at the four corners to permit said body to be readily collapsed into l lat form, and the separate attachable top and bottom portions and forming the sole means for holding the said body portion extended, each composed of a rectangular wooden frame B adapted to be inserted in the open end of the body portion A and secured thereto by tacks or nails driven through the sides of such body portion into said frame, and thin boards C secured to the outer faces of said frames B and projecting outward beyond and around the same over the ends of the body portion A, substantially as described.

3. The herein described collapsible box or package comprising an open ended polygonal body portion having hand openings therein and having its sides hinged together whereby said body may be readily collapsed into flat form, said body port ion being formed of double-face l corrugated paper, having its corrugations extending longitudinally of the box, and separate attachable top and bottom portions or heads having parts thereof fitting closely within the top and bottom of the body portion of the box and adapted to hold the same rigidly extended, said top portion forming hand-holds in c n1necti m with said openings; substantially as described.

4. The herein described collapsible box or package eomprisin g a polygonal body portion formed of doulile-faced corrugated paper, and having its sides flexibly hinged together at the corners to permit saidv body to be readily collapsed into flat form, said corrugated paper having its corrugations extending longitudinally of the box, and separate attachable top and bottom portions or heads composed of polygonal frames fitting within the ends of the body portion and adapted to hold the same rigidly extended and thin boards secured to said frames, substantially as described.

5. The herein-described collapsible box or package comprising a polygonal body portion made of a single board creased to form corners and having its edges secured together, whereby all the sides of the body are Wooden frame B adapted to be inserted in i hinged together to permit of its collapsing into flat form, attachable top and bottom over the edges of the sides of the body of the portions adapted to enter within the top and box or package; substantially as described. bottom respectively of the package and forming the sole means for holding the body por- JOHN REBER' tion extended, and thin boards or strips se- Witnesses:

cured to said top and bottom ortions and EDWARD REOTOR,

extending beyond the edges t ereof to fit JOHN H. BERKSTRESSER. 

